Austin's 25th!

Austin and Andrew, loving brothers.

Happy birthday to you, Austin!

It is amazing that Austin is 25!

He is doing so well lately. He has been self-sufficient for years, even helping out his parents financially from time to time.

He is such a good caretaker to his dad and to his kitty.

Thank you for being such a good, thoughtful, and easy to care for son.

Kate! Happy Birthday 2nd!!

This is a video we took while in Utah a few weeks back.

Happy 2nd birthday Kate!!

Thank you to Andrew and Jenn for a beautiful granddaughter.

I'm counting my blessings!

Crystal! Happy Birthday 18th!

Happy birthday to you Crystal!

Thank you for being in my life as my daughter. What a wonderful blessing. You are a beautiful friend/daughter/companion.

Many more happy birthdays to you too!

Every kids birthday is a time of recollection for the parents as well, fondly remembering back 18 years to the day you were born.

It seems like time always flies but since this past summer, it now seems to me like time whizzes by. I'm sure this will only explode as the years go by. Every moment must be savored as much as possible. "The purpose of this life is to enjoy every moment," a challenge, but one I strive for.

Tabeguache Trail (Tab-a-watch)

The Tabeguache Trail travels for 142 miles beginning in Montrose, Colorado, and ending in Grand Junction. We recently discovered a little piece of it not too far from us.

This is my new favorite trail that I'm eager to discover. There is MUCH yet to explore.


Looking up the trail.

Down the trail.

Buddy the "mountain goat."

Coco passing

Our cat, Coco, passed away last week. She had been going downhill for awhile so it was not unexpected.

We got her from Gary's mom and she was with us for 2 years. Gary knew her for 10 years though. It is a weird sensation to have something or someone be alive and you know them and then "poof" they are gone (at least the physical body). It is s-o-o-o final.

She was a sweetie. She looked a lot like our other cat, Smokie. They both came from Delta, so maybe they were related somehow. I have had a few cats come and go through my life. They are each unique. It is amazing. They have such short lives, they can teach us lessons about life and death.

Thanks, Coco, for being in our lives.

Coco and Smokie chillin' on the bed (Coco in front, Smokie in back).

Coco on the steps.

Fall yoga

The bridge in the fall over the Gunnison on Bridgeport Road.

Chubs overlooking the Gunnison River.

Practicing fall yoga by the Gunnison River.

Autumn musings

I really get psyched this time of year. Even though there is less sun, the sun is now going down at 5:00, I know it is only about 21 + 30-13 more days until the sun reaches its nadir (thanks Gary), and then starts going back the other way. We have had beautiful weather. I am completely enjoying the fall. I love how this time of year the sun shines into the house windows (plants love it too). So even though the sunlight is for fewer hours, it is more slanted and intense. I am greatly looking forward to some beautiful winter hiking in the red rock country.

I love this time of year too, because it is also a time of year to get together with loved ones. I am so thankful for all of them and everyone.

Will be traveling to Utah tomorrow for the weekend to have our litttle family get-together in Austin's new apartment. I'm going for work-related skills lab. We haven't had a staff meeting for over a year because of department reconstructuring. I'm excited to touch base. It will be at my old stomping grounds, Utah Valley Hospital.

Hopefully they'll all (little family) be traveling to Colorado for Thanksgiving.

May the long time sun shine upon you, all love surround you, and the pure light within guide your way on. Sat Nam

A new baby girl

Jasmine is our new baby girl, an 8-month-old puppy yellow lab, border collie mix. A "doggy duty" friend of ours works with somebody who asked him to come get his dog or he was going to shoot her with an arrow. She was an abused puppy. When we first got her, it was crazy at first, because she was in heat and Chubs and Bear were all over her (as they are not fixed). This was a totally new experience for me and it was crazy!! We got her fixed and then we kept the girls separated from the boys for a few days, she was with me at all times for about a week. At first, she was quite skittish and frightened. I once got out a broom and started to sweep and she totally freaked out (as if I was going to hit her with it). We laid the broom on the floor, and she would not cross it even with prompting. She is now settling in. She is very playful and cute and really enjoys the "boys" and our little pack. It is nice to have another girl around (we do have a girl cat too). It is a joy to watch her transform into just enjoying being a dog and being herself (which is a great lesson for me). Thank you Jasmine.

Grade IV splenic laceration (not mine but close)

Gary in hospital (with his full beard for werewolf Halloween costume).

Friday last, Gary and I were walking 8 dogs at the Gunnison Bluffs. It is about a 2-mile hike to the Gunnison River. We had 2 pit bulls with us. While we were at the river, we were sitting on the riverbank, snacking on oranges and the dogs were all playing in the tall grass around us. The 2 pit bulls were playing, wrestling, and rolling and just plowed hard into Gary's left back. At the time, he said "ow, my kidney." He was in pain for about 5 minutes but then was fine, and we hiked the 2 miles back to the car. That evening, he took 4 dogs for a bike ride. Then about 1:30 the next morning, he woke up with pain in his left side and radiating up into his left shoulder. He was able to sleep fitfully the rest of the night. The next day at about noon, he doubled over in severe pain. The pain took him to his knees, pain scale that he called 12 out of 10. I promptly took him to the emergency room. Fortunately it was a very unbusy day. They wheeled him right in. Within 5 minutes, he was on pain medication and within 10 minutes, they wheeled him to the CAT scanner. The pain medicine took over immediately and fortunately brought his pain down to a 2. I watched the transformation of the pain medication on his face. The diagnosis was a grade IV splenic laceration (out of 5). They watched him in the critical care unit for a day because at first his blood levels were dropping, then started to come back up, and then stabilized. He was watched for 2 days in the hospital. Fortunately he did not require surgery. Losing a spleen is not a good thing as it makes one more prone to infections. So he is back home now slowly recovering and still in a lot of pain. So I am on doggy duty, household duty, meal duty, driving duty, and still trying to work full-time (not working out too well so far).

Gary has had a lifetime of major medical happenings. It was a freak happening for sure. He wanted to change the story from 2 pit bulls being the culprits, because pit bulls already have a bad name. One of the pit bulls is a shelter dog, and Gary has been working with him to train him. He is a good dog with potential but is still young and is a powerhouse who doesn't realize his own strength.

Coal Creek Fire 2008

We found this really cool place to hike in early summer. In June a fire started from lightning strike. This year for the first time in a long time, the "authorities" allowed the fire crews to decide on whether or not to put it out. They opted to let this one burn as it was not endangering any human homes or human watershed. It burned for 3-4 weeks, working its way to the top of the Mesa, and because it was a very wet year, when it reached the top, it burned out. So now it looks really cool. The first time we hiked up after the fire, we hiked for 2 miles, and I was wondering when we would get there. I smelled it before I saw it. It is interesting how it burned, kind of random.

Bedrock lounge chair

A chair and ottoman constructed of surrounding materials (no I didn't make it, but someone quite creative did).

View from the chair.

Ahh! Really quite comfortable!

Buddy and Chubs

Tempted to put our dogs, Buddy and Chubs, on the dog blog all the time, oops! favoritism. They are great hiking companions and photogenic!

Chubs doing what he does best, resting. When we hike and take a break, Chubs usually makes a bed and rests. He makes it with his paws, getting to the soft dirt (or rocks) underneath. Chubs is part german shepherd and part hound dog.

Buddy doing spinal twist yoga pose. When we are hiking and take a break, Buddy is usually busy. He will find a stick to throw and retrieve. Buddy is part cocker spaniel and part border collie, or "cocker collie."

Buddy amid reflections of Lost Lake.

Lost Lake

Enchanted and enamored by Lost Lake on top of the Grand Mesa. Unlike most lakes on the Mesa, it is lined by volcanic rock, not much plant life. Very clear so one can see all the way in, colors and reflections multitudinously fantastic.

Across the Universe

As some of you may know, I am living with someone who loves movies. We usually watch a movie every evening while eating dinner. Since we have seen so many movies in the last 4 years, I don't remember most of them, but there are a few standouts.

Across the Universe is a love story made up from about 200 Beatles tunes. Before I saw it, I wondered if it would be good enough to do justice to the Beatles. I grew up with the Beatles. I was 5 years old when they first came to the US in 1963. I was singing their songs then. I remember jumping on our parents' bed with my older brother Kenneth singing "I want to hold your hand." They broke up when I was 12 years old, but they accomplished much and traveled far musically when they were together.

Loved the movie. It is one of my new favorite movies. I seem to have a penchant for musicals (taking after my parents!?!). The Beatles music is very well done. There are a lot of unknowns (to me) performing but a few knowns, such as Bono (singing I am the walrus) and Joe Cocker.

The 11th Hour

I was kind of afraid to watch this documentary, but I am glad I did. It has some beautiful pictures and some horrible pictures as well.

Some things I thought were very interesting:

Homosapiens as a genus has been around for what scientists estimate is about 150,000 years. If the earth began on January 1, then homosapiens came about at quarter to midnight on December 31. Since homosapiens, have been around, lots has happened to the earth.

In about 1880 the earth's population reached 1 billion. Before that time, humans lived on what they call current sun, what the sun produces currently, which can support about 1 billion humans. Since that time, humans have started to use what they call made by the old sun, fossil fuels and oils within the earth. Now humans have greater ability to make food and clothing and the human population has exploded. After the first 1 billion humans, it took 30 years to reach the next 1 billion humans. Since JFK was inaugurated, the human population has doubled because of our use of "old sun." In the meantime, the earth is being overused.

Another interesting thing: Some certain politicians say that climate change is a hoax and that they do not believe it. One scientist on the documentary said in essence this is not a religious idea that you believe or you do not believe, it is a consensus of scientists all over the world. So whether you believe it or not, climate change is happening (reminiscent of Galileo's heresay that the world was not flat?). It seems to me like those who say climate change is a hoax are the very same people who are making tons of money off of oil (greed).

Another issue: A lot of people (such as many of those who live in large cities with concrete and steel) believe that humans are above nature or that humans are not nature. There is a psychologist on the movie who called this a brain disorder (CBS or compartmental brain syndrome). As such if we humans are above nature, then why care about the environment?

With climate change is coming lots of crazy weather. We have all seen this happening, hurricanes, wild fires, droughts, floods, etc. Nature is telling us to pay attention.

I like to call it climate change rather than global warming. I have noticed on my utility bills here in Colorado, although I have only tracked it for one year, but our temperatures for the last year have been lower every month than last year.

The movie is not all about doomsday though. There is hope if everyone, including the huge corporations which own the world and our world leaders (double meaning intended), make a change by reusing, recycling, and moving to renewable resources, such as the god-given sun and wind power.

I attempt to do it my own little world in my own little way.

The earth nurtures us humans, we must nurture the earth.

Living transpirators

I got these African violets 3 years ago. They have not bloomed once since then. Finally I figured out they needed more light and put them in a window sill. Voila, blooms!

Crystal gave me this clemantis for Mother's day. We promptly planted it outside in May. Now in late August, 3 months later, it gives us one beautiful bloom.


I love Aspens!! Summer is winding down.

Our "new" look for the front step. Gary did all the prep work and the finishing, but I helped with the fun part. We broke up some tiles, then randomly and fairly quickly (one must work fast before the cement hardens) made this design together.

River People

This picture is taken near the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers in Grand Junction (thus the name).

It took me a few years to figure this out, if one lives near a couple of big rivers, then one should float them in the summer. We began floating this year in August as the river was so high for so long. This week, I thought we should go since we are still having 90-degree days and summer is winding up. Yesterday and today for lunch break we (Gary and I) floated down the river, yesterday the Gunnison River and today the Colorado River. We went about 1-1/2 miles yesterday on the Gunnison and it took about 2 hours. We figure we traveled at about 1-1/2 mile per hour. We took 3 dogs with us yesterday, and they had no problem keeping up with us by swimming a little and running alongside the river. Today we went on the Colorado River for 5 miles sans dogs, and it took us about 2-1/2 hours, so a little faster rate on the Colorado. There were a few radical rapids on the Colorado. We went a couple of weeks ago with Crystal along. While floating we chatted about river therapy. It is so relaxing. You forget about everything else, even that you are in a city. All there is a river and sky and mountains in the distance and just floating along... What an awesome lunch break! River therapy is great!

Life is like a river...just relax and go with the flow, everything needed will flow to you via the river of life. I find this to be truth.

Hiking with Mary and family

Crystal, Lucy, Ibby, Ellen, Mary, Phin, Charles, and Ella.
Phin miraculously takes a nap while his mom hikes.

While in Utah, we hiked up Rock Canyon with all present members of Mary's family visiting from Illinois. What a bunch of troopers! Crystal and I had a fun walk in the rain with Charles one night too. Charles wanted to know why we got so excited when it rains in the summer in Utah as they are from Illinois and it rains all the time there. I told him we are from the desert, so we celebrate rain in the mountain west in the summertime. We really enjoyed our visit with Mary and her kids. We played games and went shopping together. They are each good friends.

Mini Family Reunion slash 50th Birthday Party!

For my 50th birthday party, we traveled to Utah to visit with my little sister, Mary, and her family visiting from Illinois (and everyone else in Utah). My birthday is a holiday in Utah, Pioneer Day, so it is always fun to celebrate in Utah. There were 4 of us siblings out of 10 who were there, but that still makes for a big group! I missed those not present, especially Janis, who is in Florida.

This is me on my 50th Birthday and the newest edition (addition), nephew, darling Phin, to the family.

My granddaughter Kate discovers swings! She literally stayed on the swing for hours, hanging on nice and tight.

This is me with daughter, Crystal, and son, Austin. I found out my fanny pack is not so attractive in this dress.

Crystal and me (I know, Crystal and I) in front (back) of parents' house before we returned home.

Get-together at Paul and Rebecca's lovely home. Granddaughter Kate is sitting with them. Kate just loves Rebecca. I can see why. Rebecca is so bright!!

Family

Me and my big sis, Carol, at Christmastime.

Ma and pa in their matching chairs. What a cute couple.

Mom in her kitchen, a place where she hangs out a lot.

The "kids" at Christmastime. If I were in the picture, one could see how tall they all are (compared to me).

Good friends

I met friend April on my 44th birthday in Ouray. Now it is my 50th birthday. Even though we live far away from each other, we stay well connected. It is good to have friends.

Daycation to Grand Mesa

Ach du Lieber! A field of columbines!

A beautiful lily pond in bloom.

The Emerald Isles.

This is someone's front yard as part of the loop to the Grand Mesa!

Daycation on the Mesa. Because of the long wet spring, the mosquitoes are especially bad this year. When still, you can hear the very loud collective buzz. When we stopped for lunch, we built a little fire, which helped clear the air of mosquitoes. There is standing water everywhere. But because of abundance of water, it is especially beautiful too.